Gone are the days where wool is strictly associated with lumberjack socks or heavy camping sweaters…today the wonder-material is being seen in more modern garments ranging from workout apparel from the likes of Icebreaker and SmartWool to…3D printed shoes? Yes…and comfortable ones at that. The Wool Runners are a new ‘sock-less’ running shoe that takes advantage of all the natural properties of wool you’ve come to love…and along with being environmentally-conscious, are completely customizable to your foot via a 3D scanning app.

The Wool Runners 3D Printed Running Shoe

Created by New Zealand-based footwear firm Three Over Seven, the Wool Runner launched on Kickstarter in February and sold out of the intitial 1,064 pairs available in under five days…raising nearly $120,000 with a $30,000 initial funding goal.

For those who have skied, hiked, or generally ever appreciated wool in the form of socks or a sweater, you already know just how amazing this natural material is. The unique properties of wool allow for it to be temperature regulating, moisture-wicking, anti-odor, and extremely durable.

With the wild success of their Kickstarter campaign, the Three Over Seven team is currently developing a sizing app that allows a user to create a NikeID-like custom shoe that is actually based off of a scan of their own foot. Previously, we’ve seen this concept being used at Nike to create custom cleats for professional athletes…however this is the first we’ve seen for something in the consumer market. Perhaps the most impressive part though? The designers say that their goal is to get you your custom-sized shoes within 24 hours.